Chiefs Crush Patriots, 42-27, In NFL Season Opener

Rookie Kareem Hunt scored three touchdowns, and the Kansas City Chiefs rolled up 21 fourth-quarter points while routing the New England Patriots, 42-27, in the opening game of the 2017 NFL season in Foxboro, Mass. on Thursday night. Despite fumbling on his first NFL carry, Hunt recovered to amass 246 total yards, a league-record for a rookie in his first game.

Alex Smith threw for 368 yards with four touchdown passes, including two of 70-plus yards in the second half, as Kansas City (1-0) piled up the big plays on the defending Super Bowl champs. Tyreek Hill had seven catches for 133 yards with a 75-yard touchdown catch midway through the third quarter that changed the momentum of the game.

New England (0-1) led 17-14 at halftime and 27-21 heading into the fourth quarter, but they could not score — or stop the Chiefs — in the final 15 minutes.

Smith connected with Hunt on a 78-yard touchdown pass that started Kansas City’s late deluge which ended with Charcandrick West’s 21-yard scoring run with four minutes to play. The 42 points were the most the Patriots have allowed in Bill Belichick's long career.

New England running back Mike Gillislee scored three touchdowns in his first game for the team. Tom Brady completed just 16 of 36 passes for 267 yards with no touchdowns for the Patriots.